Asia

Strengthening Ties During America's Pacific Century

The Asia-Pacific region is home to over half the world’s population and is the fastest growing region in the world. Stretching from the Central Asian Republics through the population-dense countries of South Asia across the dynamic countries of East Asia to the expansive stretch of the Pacific Islands, the region has become a key driver of global politics and economics and is closely tied to America’s security and prosperity.

While much of Asia has recently experienced robust economic growth, the region continues to grapple with large pockets of poverty, malnutrition, food insecurity, environmental degradation, corruption and fragile institutions of governance. And trans-border threats such as global climate change, human trafficking, and pandemic diseases are increasingly affecting the health and safety of Americans.

We are partnering with Asian governments, businesses, civil society and non-profits to tackle these challenges. By harnessing the innovation and expertise that exists throughout the region, we can create a healthier, safer and more prosperous future for the people of Asia and the United States.

We are focused on:

Addressing persistent hunger and malnutrition, by helping countries like Bangladesh and Nepal scale up agricultural production and grow more food to feed their citizens;

Sponsoring democratic transformations occurring throughout the region, helping citizens expand political and economic opportunity; and

Partnering closely with emerging Asian economies, to help former foreign aid recipients take on new roles as donors.

We’re seeing results throughout the region, based on our partnerships and investments:

In Bangladesh, we’ve helped more than 400,000 rice farmers increase yields by 15 percent through the more efficient use of fertilizer, leading to the first-ever rice surplus in the country’s poorest state.

In 2011Indiamarked a major success in its battle against polio when the WHO officially removed India from the list of countries where the disease was actively transmitted, thanks to a world-class surveillance system we helped establish.

We worked with other development partners to support Kyrgyzstan’s emergence as Central Asia’s first parliamentary democracy.

After decades of diplomatic tension, we’re reestablishing a presence in Burma to support recent political reforms and address critical needs.